26/6/25: The Glencree Welcomes Refugees Project team, in partnership with Trail Criú, Bray Sanctuary Runners and County Wicklow Partnership SICAP, held the second in a series of community walks yesterday as part of Refugee Week 2025.

In the spirit of this year’s theme, “Community as a Superpower,” the event brought together a diverse group of participants in a shared act of solidarity and support. Among those who took part were Ukrainian refugees, International Protection Applicants, representatives of community groups and local residents from Bray and Wicklow.

Reinforcing the connections made during last week’s walk in Bray, yesterday’s evening hike set off from Wicklow Town. As participants walked side by side through the streets past the many colourful murals and around the harbour, they shared stories and exchanged cultural experiences, building friendships along the way.

Commenting on the walk, Glencree Intercultural and Community Refugee Programme Manager, Nadette Foley, said: “Wicklow’s history is one of many peoples arriving, settling and ultimately learning to live together. From the Vikings to the Normans, and all who came before and after, the story of the town reminds us that community is forged over time through shared experiences. Today’s walk is another small chapter in that ongoing story, where solidarity and welcome lead the way.”

A third walk in the series with participants from Bray, Wicklow town and elsewhere in the county, with a special nature-based focus, will set out from Glencree on Sunday 29 June and culminate in the group gathering over lunch at the Glencree Centre. This series of community walks is made possible with the support of Community Foundation Ireland.